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CW Argon-ion laser initiated aluminum induced crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Sampath K. Paduru ,
Husam H. Abu-safe ,
Hameed A. Naseem ,
Adnan Al-Shariah  and
William D. Brown
Sampath K. Paduru
Affiliation:
Arkansas Advanced Photovoltaic Research Center, Electrical Engineering Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
Husam H. Abu-safe
Affiliation:
Arkansas Advanced Photovoltaic Research Center, Electrical Engineering Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
Hameed A. Naseem
Affiliation:
Arkansas Advanced Photovoltaic Research Center, Electrical Engineering Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
Adnan Al-Shariah
Affiliation:
Arkansas Advanced Photovoltaic Research Center, Electrical Engineering Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
William D. Brown
Affiliation:
Arkansas Advanced Photovoltaic Research Center, Electrical Engineering Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
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Abstract

CW Argon-ion laser initiated aluminum induced crystallization (AIC) of RF magnetron sputtered amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin films has been investigated. It was found that lasers could be effectively used to initiate AIC process at very low threshold power densities. An argon-ion laser (λ=514.5 nm) was used to anneal Al/a-Si/glass structures with varying power densities ranging between 55 and 125 W/cm2 and exposure times ranging from 10 to 120 s. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the resulting films to be polycrystalline. The crystallization rate increased both with power density and exposure time. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis showed that the surface features change with increasing power density and irradiation time. A dendritic growth pattern was observed in the initial stages of interaction between the films. A strong crystalline Raman peak at around 520 cm-1 was observed in the Raman spectra of the crystallized samples.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 808: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystaline Silicon Science and Technology-2004 , 2004 , A4.5
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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